Greenlight fireworks turn out to be a dud

Noaki Schwartz

NEWPORT BEACH -- If traffic appeared light Thursday evening, it was

because local residents packed City Hall to hear the first public debate

on the so-called Greenlight initiative, a slow-growth measure.

The initiative, which is driven by overwhelming traffic concerns among

Newport Beach residents, proposes to give voters the final say on certain

proposed developments. The measure is slated for the November ballot.

The event, hosted by a citizens’ group called the West Newport Beach

Assn., featured Greenlight spokesman Phil Arst arguing for the measure

and Chamber of Commerce president Richard Luehrs against it.

Each made a 30-minute presentation and spent the rest of the forum

answering residents’ questions.

But if the more than 40 community members in the audience expected a

heated exchange, they were sorely disappointed.

“You’ve got an opponent who’s not an opponent,” said resident Duffy

Duffield, adding that Luehrs was too agreeable.

Others said they didn’t glean much new information about the measure.

Unanswered questions regarding what the initiative would to do the city,

if passed, still lingered.

The Protect from Traffic and Density Initiative proposes to let voters

have the final decision on developments that require “major” general plan

amendments. “Major” is defined as changes that would generate a certain

number of traffic trips, houses or square footage. However, because of

the way the initiative is worded, even minor developments could trigger a

citywide vote.

“It won’t uproot the city’s process,” Arst assured residents. “It will

only add one extra step at the end.”

Arst said the measure would help limit traffic congestion but wouldn’t

eliminate it. It would “safeguard our quality of life for future

generations,” he said.

Luehrs agreed that maintaining Newport Beach’s beauty is essential.

“We probably have more in agreement here than disagreement,” he said,

though he challenged Arst’s statement that the traffic is terrible all

across the city. “I don’t have a great deal of thought or insight, but I

do have a series of questions.”

Luehrs said the measure could prove ineffective against traffic because

developers could simply take their projects across town and leave Newport

with commuter traffic. He also repeated concerns previously voiced by the

City Council that residents would be asked to vote on developments as

small as a Starbuck’s coffeehouse.

The first debate turned out to be more of a pleasant exchange of ideas,

but Luehrs said the chamber is and would continue to analyze the measure.